Buiding block



May 15, 1934. 1 959083 BUILDING BLOCK In" IIIIIII/I/I/l/ 1/ 11/11,121101011107 1. I I I I I!!! 1. [WW mm D Y I E g l I I I 33" 5- May 15,1934. p J MAUL 1,959,083

BUILDING BLOCK v Filed May 4, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 5 J6 .15 I I 1 I J920 0 J9 fife-7 f czzzZ Patented May 15,1934

PATENT OFFICE BUILDING BLOCK Peter J. Maul, Detroit, Mich assignor toThe Macotta Unit Corporation, a corporation of Maryland Application May4, 1933,LSerial No. 669,394

12 Claims. (Cl. 72-35) The invention relates to building blocks and isparticularly adapted to be embodied in relatively large blocks suitablefor use where exterior walls of light and thin construction are desired.However, the invention is limited to this use only to the extentindicated in the appended claims.

One form of the invention is embodied in a building block which has itsfront surface covered by a plurality of sheets of porcelain enamo eledmetal, each sheet of porcelain enameled metal being provided with abinding or edging of stainless steel or other metal around itsperiphery. Formed integral with the binding or edging of stainless steelor other metal, are flanges which project rearwardly and inwardly of theporcelain enameled sheet. These flanges are embedded in a concrete blockformed by pouring the concrete on the porcelain enameled sheets. Theporcelain enameled sheets are provided intermediate their marginalportions by anchors formed of sheet metal which are preferably weldedthereto. These anchors of sheet metal are also embedded in the concreteblock and secure the porcelain enameled sheets to the concrete. In- ;5termediate the back surfaces of the porcelain enameled sheets and theconcrete block, a layer of mastic material is preferably provided.' Themastic material is preferably adhesive in character so that it tends tobind the porcelain enameled sheets to the concrete The mastic materialalso protects the porcelain enameled sheets fro moisture which wouldcorrode them.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent asthe following detailed description progresses reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, wherein- Fig. 1 is a front elevation of abuilding block which embodies the invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the improved block.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of a porcelain enameled sheetwhich forms part of the improved block.

Fig. 5 is a rear elevation of the porcelain enameled sheet, and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of a corner of the improvedbuilding block.

Referring to the drawings wherein a preferred embodiment of vtheinvention is illustrated, the reference characters 10, 11 and 12designate three porcelain enameled sheets of metal which cover the frontsurface of a concrete block 13. The concrete block 13 is preferablyformed from porous burned shale and a cementitious material but it maybe formed from any suitable material. The porcelain enamel on the sheets10, 11 and 12 is indicated at 14.

Each of the sheets 10, 11 and 12 is provided with a metallic edging 15around its periphery.

I The metallic edging may be formed of stainless steel, aluminum or anyother suitable metal. As best shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the edging 15 ispreferably in the form of U- -shaped members 16 which embrace and arepreferably clamped on the edges of the sheets 10, 11 and 12 in suchmanner that the marginal portions of the porcelain enamel 14 isprotected by flanges 1'7 forming parts of the U-shaped sections 16.

Preferably formed integral with the U-shaped sections 16 are flanges 19which project inwardly and rearwardly from the sheets 10, 11 and 12, theflanges 1'7 being preferably. disposed at an angle of approximately 45with respect to the plane in which the sheets 10, 11 and 12 aredisposed. The inner or free edges of the flanges 19 terminate inrelatively short flanges 20 which extend at an angle to the flanges 19.As illustrated in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, the flanges 19 are preferablyprovided with apertures 22. The ends of each flange 19 are preferablymitered as illustrated in Fig. 5.

Disposed intermediate the flanges 19 and preferably spot welded to therear surfaces of the sheets 10, 11 and 12 are anchoring devices whichare preferably formed from sheet metal.

The flanges 19 and the anchors 25 are embedded in the concrete block 13and serve to secure the sheets 10, 11 and 12 to the concrete block.It-will be readily understood that when the concrete block 13- is to beformed, the sheets 10, 11 and 12 are placed face downwards in a mold,after which the concrete or plastic material is poured over the backsurfaces of the sheets 10, 11 and 12 to the desii'ed thickness. Afterthe concrete or plastic material has set, the flanges 19 and the anchor25 are firmly embedded therein.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the back surfaces of theporcelain enameled sheets 10, 11 and 12 are preferably covered withlayers 27 of mastic before the concrete block 13 is formed. The masticmay be of any suitable composition but its main ingredients arepreferably asbestos fibre, asphalt and Chinawood oil. This mastic isadhesive in its nature and tends to bind the sheets 10, 11 and 12 to theconcrete block 13. The mastic also protects the back surfaces of thesheets 10, 11 and 12 from the corroding effect of moisture. I

The concrete functions to some extent as thermal insulation,particularly if porous burned shale is employed as the aggregate. Wherea higher degree of .insulation is desired, a layer of thermallyinsulating material may be employed in place. of the layers 27 or inaddition thereto.

The concrete block 13 may be reenforced with any suitable means. Thus,in the present instance, the b1ock-13 is reenforced by a metallic mesh30. When reenforced in this manner, the building blocks can support theordinary loads to which they are subjected.

Suitable means may be embedded in the concrete block 13 for use inattaching the block to the framework or Walls of a building. In thepresent instance, eyes 33 are embedded in the concrete block 13 andproject into notches 34 formed thereon. (See Fig. 6.)

The block 13 may be formed of plaster instead of concrete, if it is sodesired, as the flanges 19 and the anchor 25 form suitable means forsecuring the plaster to the metallic sheets 10, 11 and 12. In thesmaller size blocks, only one or two of the sheet metal panels need beemployed, it being readily understood that these sheet metal panels maybe of any suitable dimensions. As an example of the sizes in which theimproved blocks may be made, it may be assumed that the front surface ofthe block shown in the drawings is four feet high and nine feet long andthat the sheet metal panels 10, 11 and 12 are all of the same height andwidth. The flanges 1'? of the U- shaped section 16 are approximately ofan inch in width.

An advantage of the improved construction is that the flat sheets 10, 11and 12 will not buckle during the firing operation. It has been thecommon practice heretofore to provide rea'rwardly extending integralflanges on similar porcelain enameled sheets and when such sheets werefired, they buckled and the porcelain enamel had a tendency to craze atthe edges of the sheets.

While I have shown and described certain embodiments of my invention, itis to be understood that it is capable of many modifications. Changes,therefore in the construction and arrangement may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention as disclosed in theappended claims, in which it is my intention to claim all noveltyinherent in my invention as broadly as possible, in View of the priorart.

I claim:

, 1. A block of the character described comprising a sheet metal facing,a metallic edging clamped around the periphery of said sheet metalfacing, a body of plastic material, and means intermediate the edgingand projecting from said sheet metal facing into said plastic materialto anchor said sheet metal facing thereto.

2. A block of the character described comprising a coated sheet,U-shaped members clamped to the edges of said enameled sheet, a body ofplastic material, and members formed integral with said U-shaped membersto secure said enameled sheet to said plastic material.

3. A block of the character described comprising a body of plasticmaterial, a coated sheet applied to one face of said body, U-shapedmembers clamped to the edges of said sheet to protect said edges, andflanges formed integral with said U-shaped members and embedded in saidplastic material to secure thereto.

4. A block of the character described comprising a body of plasticmaterial, a coated sheet a plied to one face of said body, U-shapedmembers clamped to the edges of said sheet to protect said edges, andmetallic members secured to said sheet and embedded in said body tosecure said sheet thereto, said metallic members being spaced from saidU-shaped members.

5. A block of the character described comprising a body of plasticmaterial, a porcelain enameled sheet applied to one face of said body,U-shaped members clamped to the edges of said sheet and havingextensions projecting into said body to secure said sheet thereto, andmembers projecting from said body whereby it may be attached to a wall,or the like.

6. A block of the character described comprising a body of plasticmaterial, a sheet metal panel for one surface of said body, a layer ofmastic disposed between said panel and said body, U-shaped membersclamped to the edges of said panel, and means secured to said panel andprojecting into said body to secure said panel thereto.

7. A block of the character described comprising a body of plasticmaterial, a sheet metal panel for one surface of said body, U-shapedmembers straddling the edges of said sheet metal, panel, and flangesformed integral with said U,- shaped members and projecting into saidbody to secure said panel thereto.

8. A block of the character described comprising a body of plasticmaterial, a sheet metal panel for one surface of said block, U-shapedmembers straddling the edges of said sheet metal panel, and flangesprojecting from said U-shaped members into said body to secure saidpanel thereto.

9. A block of the character described comprising a body of plasticmaterial, a sheet metal panel for one surface of said block, a U-shapedmember straddling one edge of said panel, and means projecting from saidU-shaped member into said body to secure said panel thereto.

10. A block of the character described com prising a body of plasticmaterial, a sheet metal panel for one surface of said body, and sheetmetal members embedded in said body and engaging the marginal portionsof the front surface of said sheet metal panel, said sheet metal memberssecuring said panel to said body.

11. A block of the character described comprising a metallic sheet,U-shaped members clamped to the edges of said metallic sheet to protectsaid edges, a body of plastic material, and flanges projecting from saidU-shaped members and into said body to secure said metallic sheet tosaid body.

12. A block of the character described comprising an integral body ofplastic material, a plurality of metallic sheets covering one face ofsaid body of plastic material, and U-shaped members clamped to theperipheries of said sheets to protect the edges thereof, said U-shapedmembers having portions embodied in said body of plastic material tosecure said metallic sheets thereto.

said coated sheet PETER J. MAUL.

